Method of and apparatus for use in carding artificial teeth



Nov. 17, 1942. s. MYERSON 2,302,376

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN CARDING ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Feb.27, 1942 j j E E 0 O0 O0 00 I I I lulu- 6, g 9 7:5 @@M V Patented Nov.17, 1942 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN CARDING ARTIFICIAL TEETHSimon Myerson, Brookline, Mass.

Application February 2'7, 19 1-2, Serial No. 432,650

14. Claims.

This invention pertains to dentistry, and relates more particularly to anovel method of carding artificial teeth to a predetermined position ona tooth holder, card or carrier, and to novel appliances for use in thepractice of such method. The carrier is preferably of such constructionthat it may be attached to a platform or to an oral support or upon adental model; for observation and determination for the purpose ofselectoin of a set of teeth for the particular case in hand.

When the proper set of teeth has been selected the wax carrying theteeth may be separated from the carrier and positioned upon the model.While the forms herein described refer specifically to anterior teethplaced on an arch, it is obvious that it may be applied to posteriorteeth and to carding in general.

One of the objects of this invention is to facilitate carding of teethby the manufacturer in a precise and artistic manner without the need ofspecial skill on the part of the operator. A further object is toprovide appliances to facilitate such mode of assemblage of the carrierand the group of teeth and for the easy separation of the teeth as agroup from the carrier without disturbing the relation of the teeth toeach other.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed outhereinafter in the following detailed description and by reference tothe accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toothsupport useful .in the practice of the method of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, but showing teethmounted in some of the cavities of the support;

Fig 3 is a section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the support of Fig. 1, showing a set ofanterior teeth mounted in the support;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one form of tooth card, holder or carrieruseful in the practice of the present invention; I

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the carrier equippedwith a body of plastic material;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic elevations, partly in section,illustrating successive steps in a preferred method of transferringteeth from the support of Fig. 1 to the tooth carrier, holder or card ofFig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the tooth carrier, holder or card ofFig, 5, with theteeth mounted thereon; r

Fig. 11 is a section on line I l -l I of Fig. 11;

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view, partly in horizontal section, of acarrier with teeth mounted therein, generally similar to the arrangementof Fig, 11, but showings, reinforcing element embedded in the plasticmaterial;

Fig. 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modifiedform of tooth support;

Fig, 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13, but showing a set of anteriorteeth mounted in the support; 1 I

Fig. 15 is a section on the line |5-l 5 ofFig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a modified form of tooth card, holderorcarrier;

Fig. 17 is a plan view showing the carrier of Fig. 16 disposed above thesupport of Fig. 14 in readiness for transfer of the teeth;

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the holder of Fig. 16 with the teethattached thereto, the holder being mounted upon a shipping or displaybase; and

Fig, 19 is a rear or lingual holder of Fig. 18. a

Referring to the drawing,- the numeral I designates a jig or toothsupport designed to receive a set of six anterior teeth. This supporthas a concave upper surface 2 which is furnished with a series oftooth-receiving cavities 3. As here illustrated, this support or jig lis a solid block of resiliently yieldable material, for examplevulcanized rubber, although his contemplated that other appropriatematerials may be used if desired. Moreover, instead of making the entireblock of such resiliently yieldable material, the body of the block may,if desired, be of a substantially rigid material and the concavelycurved surface 2 may be formed in a lining of appropriate thicknessconsisting of such elastically yieldable material. The yieldable.material is of such elasticity as to take care of such slightdifferences in size as usually occur in artificial teeth of the samemould number, and at the same time to offer a proper degree of retentionfor the teeth.

In preparing this support l, a set of teeth of the particular style ormould number which are to be carded on the carrier or holder must firstbe arranged in an arch on an appropriate mounting in such a way as toform a desirably artistic set-up or pattern with respect to thisparticular mould number. When the support is vulcanized so as to conformin shape to this predetermined elevation of the set-up or pattern, thereresults a relatively permanent, yielding jig or support for carding thisparticular mould number. Inasmuch as such jigs or supports are easilyand very cheaply made, it is readily possible to make as many suchsupport: or jigs as may be desired for each tooth mould used by themanufacturer. These supports or jigs are moulded in accordance with anyusual method of moulding such materials as rubber, using the preparedset-up as a pattern, as already suggested.

Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the rubber support i is so mouldedthat at the edges of the cavities 3 or at one edge thereof, at least,the rubber forms a thin, resilient, inwardly directed tooth-retainingfin or lip designed to overlap the tooth to a slight extent. In Fig. 3such a thin resilient fin or lip 5 is shown at the lower or incisal endof the cavity. These lips, fins or flaps overlap the tooth sufiicientlyto hold the tooth in place in the cavity with slight retention so thatthe tooth will not be accidentally displaced, but without offering anysubstantial resistance to the intended removal of the tooth from thesupport.

Having prepared such a support or jig with its tooth-receiving cavitiesarranged in accordance with a predetermined artistic set-up of theparticular type of tooth to be carded, it is merely necessary for theoperator to pick up the teeth and fit them into the respective cavitiesof the mould; no skill being required in performing this operation otherthan that requisite to fit the teeth into the cavities, since the archand relative arrangement of the cavities is such that the mere placingof the teeth therein insures an artistic arrangement of the teeth.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 there is illustrated one desirable form of toothcard, holder or carrier i, such card or carrier '3 consisting forexample of a unitary moulded mass of a suitable plastic material, forexample of vulcanized rubber, synthetic resin or the like, or, ifpreferred, it may be of metal. This carrier or holder 1, as shown inFigs. 5 and 6, comprises an arcuate body portion having a convex forwardor labial edge 8 and. is here shown as having a concave rear or lingualedge 9. As illustrated (Figs. 6 and 11 the body of this carrier isprovided with an elongate channel or groove H in its convex edge 8, suchchannel being defined by divergent walls l2 and I3, here shown asforming a channel of more or less V-shape in section, although thischannel may be of other transverse section, if desired, so long as itaffords sufficient room for the body of tooth-retaining wax. The walls!2 and I3 of the carrier may be of any desired degree of divergence.Preferably, the arm I2 is a little longer than the arm 53 thereby toprovide additional support for the tooth at the ridge lap (Fig. 11although both arms may be of the same length if desired. The channel iiis of such width as may be deemed necessary for properly supporting thewax and the teeth mounted therein. Preferably this carrier is providedwith a tab, tongue or stem l8 projecting from its rear or lingualsurface. As here shown, this tongue or stem is integral with the body ofthe carrier.

In using the support I and the carrier 1 above described, the carrier isfirst provided with an elongate body [4 (Fig. '7) of a suitable plasticadhesive, such as dental wax, such body of plastic being filled into thechannel l of the carrier and protruding forwardly from the channel 50 asto provide the required quantity of the material at the labial side ofthe carrier.

Assuming that teeth T have been placed in the cavities 3 of the J'ig orsupport I (Figs. 4 and 8) and that the plastic material Id has beenplaced in the carrier, the operator may seize the carrier by the tongueor tab ID and, with the plastic material directed downwardly, may pressthe latter against the exposed lingual surfaces of the teeth T in thejig or support (Fig. 9) until the lingual aspects of the teeth and theattaching pins 6 of the teeth are embedded in the plastic material.

Although the carrier may be caused to approach the support by a purelymanual operation, it is possible to employ mechanical means for thispurpose in order to assure accuracy of registry of the material M withthe row of teeth without the necessity of using especial care. To thisend a suitable press may be employed in the manner usual to stampingoperations. Thereby great accuracy of registration between the carrierand the mould form may readily be secured.

After the pins or other attaching elements of the teeth have thus beenembedded in or caused to adhere to the plastic I4, the carrier may belifted (Fig. 10) from the support I, and in so doing all of the teethwill remain adherent to the plastic l4 and will thus be lifted with thecarrier to which they are thus attached. In transferring the teeth fromthe support to the carrier, the relative arrangement of the teeth, asdetermined by the cavities 3 of the support, is in no way disturbed andthe set of teeth, as mounted on the carrier, has the desired predetermined artistic arrangement. The carrier with the teeth thus mountedthereon is shown in front view in Fig. 11. As thus arranged andsupported, the set of teeth may be placed within the mouth of a patientso as to exhibit to him the approximate appearance which they would haveif so mounted in a denture. Moreover, the dentist, after thusdetermining by such trial the particular arrangements which are to beused in the denture, may separate the plastic M from the carrier 1without disturbing the teeth and may then apply this body of plasticwith its adherent teeth to a previously made model as a unit. Theposterior teeth may now be waxed to the model in the usual manner andthe model thus prepared, having the anterior teeth arranged inaccordance with a predetermined artistic set-up, may now be subjected tothe usual further steps in the preparation of a permanent denture.

To facilitate the removal of the body of plastic with the adherent teethfrom the carrier 1, and at the same time to stiffen the plastic and thusdecrease the danger of deforming it in handling, it is proposed to placea reinforcing element 46 (Fig. 12) within the channel H of the carrier,preferably at the inner portion of the channel, so that when the plasticM is filled into the channel, this reinforce element IE will be embeddedin the plastic material. Preferably this reinforce I6 is a narrowelongate strand of a tough and strong material, preferably stifflyresilient, for example metal wire, and preferably one or both endportions H of this reinforce strand projects beyond the end of thechannel H so that it is exposed after the plastic material has beenfilled into the channel.

After the teeth have been mounted in the plastic, the body of plasticwith the adherent teeth may now readily be stripped from the carrier byseizing the projecting end I! of the reinforce member and exerting aforwardly directed force,

the plastic material or wax M is melted and removed during subsequentoperations, thus permitting the reinforce member to be withdrawn withoutdisturbing the teeth.

Referring'to Figs. 13' and 14, a modification of the above procedure isillustrated, such mo'dification having particular reference to themounting of artificial teeth in a holder in such a manner as to providea gum-simulating element designed to embrace and partially to concealthe necks of the teeth.

The support l illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15,

is in general similar to the support I above described. In thisinstance, however, the concave surface 2 of the support is furnishedwith an elongate shallow recess [8 extending longitudinally of the rowof cavities 3, the cavities overlapping or extending into the lowermarginal portion of the recess It. The surface or wall of this recess I8is contoured to impart a gumsimulating effect to plastic materialpressed thereagainst.

In using this modified type of support, the operator first fills therecess l8 with a gum-simulating mass 19 (Figs. 14 and 15) of anappropriate plastic material, colored to resemble the gum. In

this instance this material may be dental wax or it may be a preformedshell of a substantially rigid plastic material, for example syntheticresin or vulcanized rubber, designed and previously prepared so asexactly to fill the recess 58. The teeth'T are then placed in thecavities 3 (Fig. 14.), it being noted that portions 20 of the plasticmaterial l9 which fills the recess l8 extend downwardly between the neckportions of the adjacent teeth, as shown in Fig. 14.

For use in" association with this form of support thereis provided acarrier such as illustrated in Fig. 16. This carrier 2| has anelongate'body portion 22 of rigid material, for example mouldedsynthetic resin, having a convex forward surface closely complemental tothe curvature of the surface 2 of the support. Preferably the carrier 2!has an integral rearwardly projecting tongue or stem 23 and the convexsurface of this carrier is provided with a channel (more or less likethe channel ll above described) extending longitudinally of the bodyportion, such channel being designed to receive and hold a body 26 ofplastic material, such for example as dental wax. Preferably theopposite ends of the body portion of this carrier 2| are widened toprovide upwardly directed, tapering, rigid cusps 21 which constitutebackings for upwardly directed end portions of the body of plastic material.

Having provided this carrier and mounted thereon the body 26 of plasticmaterial, and having placed the teeth in the cavities of the jig orsupport l the teeth are transferred tothe carrier 2| in the same way(Fig. 1'7) as above described with reference to the carrier 1.

The completed holder is indicated in front elevation in Fig. 18 and inrear or lingual elevation in Fig. 19. Such holder, with the teethmounted therein, may now be used as a shipping card for transferringteeth in properly designed arrangement from the manufacturer to thedentist or dental laboratory, the holder being mounted for this purpose,if desired, upon a rigid base 28 or the like (Fig. 18); it may be usedfor displaying teeth or in illustrating to a patient how a particularset and arrangement of teeth will appear in the final denture; or it maybe connected to a part-tray in an appropriate'way so as to permit thetaking of an impression while the teeth which are to be used in thedenture are ctually in the patients mouth.

While certain desirable devices have herein been illustrated by way ofexample as useful in the practice of the processes here disclosed, andwhile certain desirable procedures and process steps have beendescribed, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarilylimited to these precise steps or to the particular appliances hereinshown, but is to be regarded as broadly inclusive of any and allequivalents thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body oftooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a setof teeth in a predetermined arrangement upon a resilient tooth-retainingsupport and transferring said teeth as a unit to the carrier by placingthe carrier upon the support with plastic material intermediate theteeth and the carrier without disturbing the predetermined relativearrangement of the teeth.

2. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body oftooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a setof teeth in a predetermined relative arrange ment upon a durableyielding support, with the attaching means of the teeth exposed, movingthe carrier toward the teeth until the attaching means of the teeth areembedded in the plastic material, and then removing the carrier with allof the teeth adherent thereto and adequately supported thereby.

3. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body oftooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a setof teeth in a predetermined relative arrangement upon a durable yieldingsupport, with the attaching means of the teeth exposed, providing thecarrier with a body of tooth-attaching plastic and embedding within saidplastic a rigid plastic-removing piece, moving the carrier toward theteeth until the attaching means of the teeth are embedded in the plasticmaterial, removing the carrier from the support with all of the teethadherent to the carrier, and stripping the wax together with the rigidwaxremoving piece and the adherent teeth, as a unit, from the carrier.

4. The method of mounting teeth upon a car rier by means of a body oftooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a setof teeth in a predetermined arrangement upon a resilient tooth-retainingsupport, transferring said teeth as a unit to the carrier by placing thecarrier upon the support with plastic material intermediate the teethand the carrier, without disturbing the predetermined relativearrangement of the teeth, and attaching the carrier with the teethmounted thereon to a shipping base.

5. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means oftooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing apiece of gum-simulating material in position upon a tooth support,placing a set of teeth upon said support with the necks of the teethanterior to said gumsimulating material and partially surroundedthereby, pressing the carrier upon the support with plastic materialintermediate the teeth and the carrier, and removing the carrier fromthe support with the teeth and the gum-simulating material attached tothe carrier in nature-simulating arrangement.

6. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises providing atooth support or jig having therein a series of cavities each shaped toreceive and removably to hold, with slight retention, one of therespective teeth of a set, placing a tooth in each of said cavitiessothat the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, providing atooth card having a body of tooth-attaching plastic, relatively movingthe card and support until the attaching elements of the teeth areadhesively united to the body of plastic, and then separating the cardand support thereby to transfer the teeth as a unit from the support tothe card.

7. That method of mounting artificial teeth upon a curved card or holderprovided with a body of tooth-attaching plastic, which comprises assteps providing a support having a concavely curved contoursubstantially complemental to the curvature of the tooth-receivingportion of the holder, said support including resilient means forremovably retaining teeth in a predetermined relative arrangement, soengaging teeth with the retaining means of the support that theattaching elements of the teeth are exposed, relatively moving thesupport and the curved holder until the attaching elements of the teethare engaged by the tooth-holding plastic of the holder, and separatingthe holder and support thereby to remove the teeth as a unit from thesupport without disturbing their relative arrangement.

8. That method of mounting artificial teeth upon a curved card or holderprovided with a body of tooth-attaching plastic, which comprises assteps providing a support having a concavely curved contoursubstantially complemental to the curvature of the tooth-receivingportion of the holder, said support being resiliently yieldable andincluding means for removably retaining teeth in predetermined relativearrangement, so 7 engaging teeth with the retaining means of the supportthat the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, relatively movingthe holder and support toward each other until the tooth pins areembedded in the plastic carried by the holder, and then separating theholder and support thereby transferring the entire set of teeth as aunit to the holder.

9. That method of mounting teeth upon a substantially rigid elongatecard or holder havinga channel containing tooth-attaching plastic, saidmethod comprising as steps providing a resiliently yieldable supporthaving a surface substantially complemental to the longitudinal contourof the channeled surface of the holder, said surface of the supporthaving therein a series of cavities each shaped to hold, with slightretention, one of the respective teeth of the set, so placing a tooth ineach of said cavities that the lingual surfaces of the teeth areexposed, the teeth of the set being thereby accurately located inpredetermined relative arrangement, relatively moving the support andholder toward each other until the teeth contact with and adhere to theplastic carried by the holder, and then separating the holder andsupport thereby to transfer all of the teeth as a unit to the holderwithout disturbing said relative arrangement.

10. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises as stepsarranging teeth of a selected style upon a support in a row arched to acontour which provides a pleasing appearance as respects the particularstyle selected, temporarily securing the teeth to the support so as tomaintain such arrangement, providing a tooth holder with a body ofplastic adhesive, pressing said body of plastic adhesive against theteeth thereby to cause the teeth all to adhere to the holder withoutdisturbing said relative arrangement, and separating the holder from thesupport thereby to transfer the teeth as a unit to the holder withoutdisturbing said arrangement.

11. That method of mounting artificial teeth preparatory to use in adenture, which comprises as steps providing a substantially rigidcarrier having therein an elongate channel, placing Within said channela narrow, elongate, stifily resilient reinforce member, filling thechannel with plastic adhesive in such a Way that the reinforce member isembedded in said plastic, disposing a set of teeth in a row inpredetermined relative arrangement, causing said row of teeth to adhereas a unit to the exposed surface of the plastic in the carrier withoutdisturbing the relative arrangement of the teeth, and thereafterstripping the reinforced plastic, with the teeth adherent thereto, as aunit from the carrier without substantially disturbing the relativearrangement of the teeth.

12. That method of mounting artificial teeth in a curved holder, whichcomprises as steps providing a concavely curved resilient support or jighaving therein tooth-receiving cavities properly located for holdingteeth in a predetermined relative arrangement, said support or jig alsohaving therein a shallow, elongate recess extending transversely acrossthe gingival ends of the several tooth-receiving cavities, disposinggum-simulating plastic material in said recess, disposing a tooth ineach of said cavities, providing a substantially rigid carrier with anelongate body of plastic material, moving the carrier toward the supportor jig thereby to cause the plastic material to engage and adhere to theseveral teeth and to merge with the gum-simulating plastic in saidrecess, and separating the holder from the support or jig, therebytransferring the gum-simulating plastic and the teeth to the holder withthe gingival ends of the teeth disposed behind said gum-simulatingplastic.

13. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises as stepsselecting the mould or style of tooth to be carded, preparing a patternor set-up by arranging teeth of the selected mould or style so as toform an arch similar to that of the human gum ridge and with the teethso selected disposed in a pleasing and natural arrangement, employingsaid pattern or set-up in forming a jig or support from molded resilientmaterial, the jig or support having a concavely curved surfacecomplemental to the arch of the pattern or set-up andhaving a series ofcavities corresponding in size and relative arrangement to the teeth onthe pattern or set-up, disposing individual artificial teeth of theselected mould or style in the respective cavities of the jig or supportso that the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, providing acard or carrier having a body of plastic adhesive, moving the card orcarrier toward the jig or support so as to cause the plastic upon thecarrier to adhere to the teeth, and separating the carrier from thesupport, thereby to transfer all the teeth as a unit from the support tothe carrier.

14. A support or jig for use in mounting artificial teeth in a curvedholder, said support being of vulcanized rubber and having a concavesurface complemental to the curvature of the holder, said surface havingtherein a, series of tooth-receiving cavities designed and arranged tohold the teeth of a set in a definite predetermined relativearrangement, the material which constitutes said concave surface beingso arranged as to provide a resilient lip overhanging a part, at least,of each tooth-receiving cavity and adapted, by engagement with a toothdisposed in said cavity, releasably to retain the tooth in place.

SIMON MYERSON.

